Overloading chakra into a patient could disrupt their internal circulatory system—causing shock, even unconsciousness.
That was the cost of misusing the Mystical Palm Technique—but in combat, the effect could be weaponized.
The instant Ishiki's hand, infused with yang chakra, touched the enemy's chest,he pumped a massive surge directly into the man's body.
The result?A violent backlash that sent the enemy ninja flying backward.
But it didn't end there.
Before the airborne enemy could land, Ishiki's hand flicked to his waist.A kunai spun from his fingers, aimed clean at the heart.
Just then—a pulse through his senses told him: his Shadow Clone had just been destroyed.
A blade had pierced it straight through the chest.
"Should've guessed. Fire Release isn't enough to rely on..."
The attacker, wielding a tantō, was rushing at him—blindingly fast.
But Ishiki's eyes, hidden behind chakra-dampening goggles,tracked every move with crystal clarity.
That's not the real one. Just another clone...
So far, he'd used:
Two C-rank Fire Release jutsu,
One B-rank Shadow Clone Jutsu,
One A-rank Mystical Palm Technique,
And one genjutsu via the Sharingan.
His chakra reserves were nearly halved.
That genjutsu—used to mislead the enemy on his right—was what allowed his kunai to strike clean.
He wasn't going to trade blows with this clone. He didn't need to.
I've already bought enough time.
As the clone slashed at him, Ishiki used the Sharingan's predictive power to sidestep the attack.
A thud sounded nearby.
The enemy clone that missed its strike dispersed into a puff of smoke.The tantō it had held clattered to the dirt.
The red glint in Ishiki's eyes faded, his lips curling into a wry smile.
I'm not alone out here.
While the enemy's focus was on Ishiki, Aoba had been dealing with his own fight behind the trees.An ambusher had gone for Aoba—but their first move wasn't to strike him.They went for the two prisoners Aoba was interrogating.
The enemy's kunai had cut them both down instantly.
But that opening came at a price.Aoba immediately countered with hand seals:
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
Like Ishiki, he favored the Uchiha's signature jutsu.
But unlike Ishiki's, Aoba's Great Fireball was a feint.
Two kunai flew inside the fireball's shadow.One of them found its mark, embedding itself in the attacker's calf.
Got you.
Aoba adjusted his glasses, and with a tug of his hand, revealed that the kunai was attached to chakra threads.
The thread pulsed with chakra—electrifying the enemy's nervous system.
The man froze.
But only for a moment.
In a flash of will, the attacker broke the technique, chakra flaring wildly.Not to retaliate—but to slit his own throat.
From his robe, a flare device tumbled to the ground and ignited.
Dammit—! Aoba cursed as the flare exploded into the sky, releasing a plume of red smoke.
He launched another kunai into the man's body, ensuring the kill, then sprinted toward Ishiki's position.
He emerged from the trees to see the battle already over.
In the distance, Mirina's jutsu ended with a thunderous blast—she had taken care of the final enemy.What shocked Aoba more was what Ishiki had done:
Two dead shinobi—by his hand.
These weren't common thugs either.Aoba had sensed it during the ambush—at least Chūnin-level, maybe even one Jōnin.
That level of force should have overwhelmed a newly graduated Genin—especially a medical-nin.
But Ishiki had not only survived...He'd won.
No... he's probably already on par with Mirina and me, Aoba thought.Maybe even stronger, depending on the match-up...
Mirina approached, scanning Ishiki quickly.
"You hurt?"
"Not really—chakra's a bit low. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I might've been toast. Thanks for the save."
"Hah. Cut it out," she rolled her eyes, grinning. "I saw you from up there—your taijutsu's not half-bad. You would've handled it anyway.Didn't expect you to be such a natural genius, though. My bad."
Before Ishiki could reply, Aoba stepped in:
"Enough chit-chat. This area's compromised. We need to move."
The red smoke still lingered above.
Even though Aoba's ninja crows hadn't spotted additional hostiles and his sensing techniques found no one nearby, it was too risky to stay.
The team confirmed all six enemy shinobi were dead, then departed.
Just as expected, shortly after they left, a large force of Kumogakure ninja arrived at the scene—and with them…another Sharingan user in tow.
The reinforcements never caught up.Still, none of the Konoha team let down their guard.
By sundown, the three regrouped at the base of a mountain—Mount Uname, their rendezvous point.
Nestled on the border of the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost,it was once a famous onsen resort, known for its natural hot springs.
Now, with war raging just beyond, the area had become a ghost town.The scent of steam lingered in the air, but all else was barren and cold.